A webdesigner is frequently faced with the worried clients who wish to make their websites look the same in all browsers. In particular, that repulsive coffee stain that comes pre-installed with XP. Tragically, still being used by some underprivileged today -”Internet Explorer 6″ (for the blessed who cannot remember). It is the solemn duty then of a smart and sensible webdesigner to educate and explain to the client that porting their website to look the same in IE6 is simply not practical or worth the efforts.
The next time I’m required to build my case and convince a client to move away from IE6, i’ll simply ask them to read this post and these links:
- Some figures showing IE steadily on the decline
- 37signals (pioneers in webdesign and bringers of Basecamp) have stopped supporting IE6 in 2008
- Thorough reasoning/FAQ on dealing with IE6 by Andy Clarke of “for a beautiful web”
- Amazon killing support for IE6 as of end of March.
- Google Docs ending support on March 1st 2010
- and the coup de gras from beloved Google – Youtube killing support on 13th of March 2010.
If you’re reading this with IE6, I request you, NAY! I beg you….. atleast upgrade to a more later version like IE8 (i.e of course if your still adamant on not being sensible and choosing a superior alternative )
Disclaimer: Clients still wishing to port their websites in IE6 will have to bear the additional costs of therapy and treatment for mental trauma for webdesigners.